Go-Go-Go

Time, methinks, for a little musical interlude...

A recent discovery by the ever-lovely Donna Lethal, let's all Dancy Go Go!

Dancy Go-Go: A 60's Television Dance Explosion

Now, that should make us all feel better...

Well, it ain't that Barbie doll

Miss Cherilyn Sarkisian, who celebrates her 68th birthday today [and shares it with that other outré Patron Saint, Miss Grace Jones, who is 66], has done many a duet with other divas and wannabees over the years.

But few were as unlikely - or as downright odd - as this.

From Cher's TV show way back in 1975, here she is... with David Bowie!

Cher and David Bowie - Young Americans medley

Happy birthday, indeed!

Cher (born 20th May 1946)

Allegedly the tracklist is:

Young Americans
Song Sung Blue
One
Da Doo Ron Ron
Wedding Bell Blues
Maybe
Maybe Baby
Day Tripper
Blue Moon
Only You (And You Alone)
Temptation
Ain’t No Sunshine
Young Blood
Young Americans

King of the Sequins

A beautiful sunny weekend has passed too soon, and we shriek with horror at the prospect of being trapped in a stuffy office staring at the sunshine through tinted glass for the next five days.

Never mind, on this Tacky Music Monday I have a sequin-filled treat to take our minds off it, courtesy of the completely OTT Liberace - who would have celebrated his 95th birthday on Saturday - and his little tribute to the island of Aruba.

It doesn't get much camper than this...

Liberace - Aruba

Have a glittering week, peeps!

Władziu Valentino Liberace (16th May 1919 – 4th February 1987)

As funny as a bitch slap from Solange Knowles

Charlie Hides TV - Lady Gaga PENIS

The irrepressible Charlie Hides TV.

Of course.

Very, Very Much

Yes! Our hero again...

Today is IDAHo (or IDAHoT, as it is now known) - the International Day Against Homophobia (and Transphobia).

Every year, we in the West can see more and more enlightenment among governments in Europe and the Americas (equal marriage legislation is rapidly becoming the "norm", or so it seems; despite the best efforts of loonies standing for local council elections), yet the picture worldwide - the medieval fundamentalism rife in Islamic countries, the fomenting of hatred by Evangelical churches in Africa (and elsewhere) and, most worryingly, the rise of right-wing tyranny and thuggery in the countries of Eastern Europe (in which we held such hope when the iron grip of the Soviets was toppled) - our gay brethren still face a daily struggle just to survive.

Just today comes the announcement that a parade in Russia to celebrate the victory of Conchita Wurst in Eurovision has been banned.

The Guardian, admirably (it has always been a bit of a "friend of the gays"), has published a rather fascinating set of stats:

Being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is illegal in almost 80 countries, and in at least five of them is still punishable by death. [On] the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, explore the legal situation for LGBT people around sex, marriage or civil partnerships, adoption, workplace discrimination and hate crime by region, country and overall population.

Read and absorb the facts

I shan't upset myself, or you, dear reader, with my usual list of examples of the homophobic crimes that are being committed on a daily basis in such benighted regimes as Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda, Belarus, Malaysia and Jamaica (and the rest) against our peers. That remarkable campaigner, drag queen Panti Bliss sums it up so much more succinctly:

Inspiring message by Panti Bliss for IDaHoT 2014

Instead, I shall rely - as I always do on this day - upon the otherwise un-admirable Lily Allen (and, of course, the myriad contributors to this video that uses her song as its rallying cry) to send out a message to homophobes the world over:

GayCLIC Collaboration against Homophobia - Fuck You

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Make me queen for a night

It's a brilliant sunny morning - and all the forecasts suggest the looming weekend will be glorious.

Plenty to celebrate there - so let us grab the bubble machine, get our glitteriest make-up and our jump-suits on, jiggle onto the under-lit dancefloor, and start the party!

In the company of the fabulous Miss Claudja Barry, we can do little else...

Thank Disco It's Friday!

Claudja Barry - Boogie Woogie Dancing Shoes

Such excellent dancers.

Have a great weekend, whatever you do!

I had to interrupt and stop this conversation

News today that the conglomerate of Dixons, Currys and PC World has agreed a merger with fellow retailer Carphone Warehouse to create a new one-stop-shop for smartphones, computers and - ahem - washing machines prompts me to re-visit a classic (and appropriate) mash-up.

Also continuing our celebrations of forty years of both Abba at Eurovision and the birth of Blondie, here they are together (again), in that brilliant mix by Matt Pop!

Blondie vs Abba - Hanging on the Ring Ring

Ringing in the ears...